We Ranked All 19 Pixar Movies from Worst to Best

Just in time for Incredibles 2, we've ranked every Pixar movie, figuring out what's worth streaming and what can wait.

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From A Bug's Life to Wall-E

As Incredibles 2 launches into theaters this weekend, here at Tom's Guide, we decided it was time to rank every single Pixar movie. And you might be surprised by where your favorites fell. (I sure was.) Only one Toy Story movie made our top five, and the award-winning, music-infused Coco didn't hit the high notes I'd hoped. But that's what happens when Pixar's track record is so positive that most (minus the Cars flicks) of its movies are beloved. — Henry T. Casey

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Cars 3 (2017)

The world may be officially tired of Cars, but the third installment in the series actually gets a few things right that its predecessors didn't. Pixar mercifully decided to lay off the international spy drama for Cars 3, returning the focus to Lightning McQueen and Radiator Springs. An accident threatens to sunset Lightning's career as faster, more technologically advanced young talent rises to the podium. Like Rocky V or The Wrestler (or even Talladega Nights), Cars 3follows in a long tradition of sports dramas about athletes grappling with the reality of aging and the legacy they leave when their work is done. That said, if you never cared for the series in the first place, it likely won't make you stop and take notice. — Adam Ismail

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Monsters University (2013)

Prequels are often lambasted as the sequels nobody asked for, and such seems to be the case with Monsters University, which fell into the Cars section of our rankings. The 2013 film focuses on how Mike Wazowski and Sully, the stars of Monsters, Inc., became friends, after starting out college as enemies. Critical reception was mixed, with a score of 79 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. While some critics marked it as funny, Richard Roeper called it "safe, predictable, edge-free" and "nearly bland." — Henry T. Casey

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Cars 2 (2011)

Look, I actually really liked Cars 2. But I get why nobody else did. It left behind the straightforward, racing-centered narrative of its predecessor and opted instead for a somewhat discombobulated narrative of international espionage, a worldwide conspiracy and a bunch of other stuff nobody really understood. That said, if you look past the flashing lights, you'll see a heartwarming story of Mater coming to recognize his own talents, and of the world — and Lighting McQueen himself — seeing his true colors for the first time. — Monica Chin

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Brave (2012)

Brave should really be much higher on this list. Before Frozen's daring Anna gave young girls a feminist hero to root for, Brave's Scottish heroine, Merida (voiced by Boardwalk Empire actress Kelly Macdonald), rejected arranged marriage for a chance to be happy on her own. The princess of a Scottish kingdom, Merida is also a skilled archer who wants to compete for her own hand in marriage. This leads to a fight with her mother, naturally, leading Merida to seek out a witch to help her escape her wifely fate. The witch casts a spell that turns Merida's mother into a bear — which is a little on the nose — and in the course of figuring out how to turn her into a human again, Merida and her mother work out their differences. Maybe it's because half of my family is from Scotland, maybe it's the slight physical resemblance between myself and the main character, or maybe it's the realization that Disney writers can create princesses who don't need to be saved, but Brave is a Pixar film that resonates in a way few others have. — Caitlin McGarry

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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The Good Dinosaur (2015)

I took three children to see The Good Dinosaur, and they cried. A lot. OK, I confess that I teared up, too. It's a sweet movie about a little dino named Arlo who can't seem to make his mark on the world because he's risk-averse. Arlo is swept away in a flood while trying to track down a caveboy who's stealing his family's grain, and to find his way back home, he must befriend the boy, fight off rivals and master the elements. For any kid (or adult!) who has had to be nudged into bravery, the sink-or-swim nature of this movie will feel familiar — and maybe even a little inspiring. Also, Frances McDormand voices Arlo's mom, so just go watch it already. — Caitlin McGarry

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Cars (2006)

It might be difficult to recall now, but once upon a time, people were actually enthusiastic about Cars. The first part of Pixar's automotive epic was charming and novel upon its debut in 2006. You can't blame the studio for being derivative here — this was truly a world unlike any other in any children's movie before it. And as Tom's Guide's resident gearhead, I have to give a shout-out to the various makes, models and, most importantly, racing royalty that appears in cameos throughout the film. Aside from the late Paul Newman as Doc Hudson, motorsport fans were delighted by guest spots from Richard Petty, Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Pixar doubled down on these Easter eggs in the sequels, but Cars has never again felt as innovative or as delightful as it did in the 2006 original. — Adam Ismail

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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A Bug's Life (1998)

Let's face it: A Bug's Life fell so low on our rankings because nobody remembers if they saw that film or the incredibly similar Antz, a Dreamworks film that came out only two months earlier. Excellent voice acting from Dave Foley (NewsRadio) and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), though, make this one movie you shouldn't skip. But seriously, the confusion between these two titles is so great that I remember stories of people mistakenly saw the wrong one as both ran at the same time in theaters. Having trouble remembering which one you saw? Antz had Woody Allen and was aimed at an older audience, while A Bug's Life was more wholesome. — Henry T. Casey

Credit: Getty

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Finding Dory (2016)

Even the most cynical of my friends were won over by Finding Dory. For the first time, we got a glimpse into the charmingly forgetful blue tang's childhood and her heartbreaking separation from her parents. Years later, a random flashback reminds Dory that she had parents long ago, and she sets off (along with our old friends Nemo and Marlin) on a quest to find them. The film does what Pixar does best: It packs a powerful and moving narrative into a fun-filled and hilarious adventure. And if you're not trying to hide rebellious tears from your date from the very first scene of this movie, you will be by the end. — Monica Chin

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Coco (2017)

Did your parents ever forbid you from following a passion or career? That's the plight of Miguel, the plucky and adorable (but also rebellious) son of a family of shoemakers who dreams of being a world-renowned musician. But young Miguel's mischief gets him in deeper trouble than a simple grounding, as his soul is sent to the land of the dead to make things right. Along the way, the Day-Glo-filled world sends the boy and his spirit animal on a wild ride that teaches him about his family and his idol, Ernesto.

Heed this warning: Just as with Up, Inside Out and Toy Story 3, Coco should be sold with a pack of tissues for the tears it will generate. — Henry T. Casey

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Toy Story 2 (1999)

Toy Story 2 achieved what we're hoping (but not hearing) Incredibles 2 does: matching or topping its predecessor. Now that Buzz and Woody have buried the toy hatchets, they've got an even bigger issue to deal with: the fear of death. When a greedy toy collector — Wayne Knight (Newman from Seinfeld) who makes the most of minimal dialogue — steals Woody from a yard sale, our favorite cowboy discovers his origins in a TV show called Woody's Roundup. That show is so popular that a museum wants to enshrine Woody and the toys based on his co-stars, which means Buzz and the gang get a new mission: convincing Woody not to live a life behind glass, no matter the fame. — Henry T. Casey

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Toy Story 3 (2010)

I have almost no memory of what happened in Toy Stories 1 and 2, but I distinctly remember being on the edge of my seat throughout the strawberry-smelling wild ride that was Toy Story 3 and bawling my eyes out at the end. It's packed with characters you know and love. But no longer are they just on a zany adventure; they're exploring serious themes of what it means to come of age, and to change. Andy is (suddenly — where did the time go?) 17 years old, and his toys, worried that they'll be thrown out, embark on a daring escape that forces them to consider questions of belonging and what it means to move on. Andy's final goodbye to his toys is one of the most beautiful moments I've seen in a Pixar movie. — Monica Chin

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Finding Nemo (2003)

Finding Nemo remains one of the most memorable Pixar films from my childhood. It's packed with creatively written characters, gorgeous animation and a whole lot of sweet silliness brought on by talented voice actors. Marlin the clownfish and Dory the regal blue tang go on a heartwarming journey to find Marlin's fishnapped son, Nemo. It's basically Taken, except cuter. They go up against sharks, naval mines and the worst of them all: Darla the human. Through all this conflict, each character has emotional arcs developed throughout the story, and watching them mature creates quite the fulfilling experience. — Rami Tabari

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Inside Out (2015)

Of all of Pixar's movies, Inside Out had the highest degree of difficulty, as it created a universe for anthropomorphized human emotions, who become colorfully shaded tiny people who live inside our brains. Expert voice work from Amy Poehler (Joy), Phyllis Smith (Sadness), Lewis Black (Anger), Bill Hader (Fear) and Mindy Kaling (Disgust) and inventive design bring those feelings, and the world inside us they inhabit, to life inside the film's protagonist, a young girl named Riley Andersen, whose family just moved across the country, uprooting her entire life. Inside Out reaches Up levels of sadness, though, when the emotions encounter Riley's imaginary friend Bing Bong, a casualty of growing up. — Henry T. Casey

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Up (2009)

How Up manages to get audiences to laugh, after its first 10 minutes are among the saddest in animation history, is a minor miracle. But that's the magic of Russell, an eager and earnest Boy Scout unaware of how desperately he needs some parental supervision. But when Russell tries to earn his final merit badge by helping Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner), an elderly widower, he gets more than he bargained for. In an ingenious moment that could only happen in the world of animation, Fredricksen (who doesn't want Russell around) sets them both off on a wild adventure, shooting his house up into the air, and toward the wildlife he's always wanted to explore. — Henry T. Casey

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Toy Story (1995)

The one that started it all, Toy Story is surely one of the most important films of all time. It heralded a new era of computer-generated animation, and it would take years before other studios would catch up to what Pixar achieved all the way back in 1995. In that way, it's kind of like the Super Mario 64 of the medium. But technical wizardry aside, Toy Story never would have ascended to its legendary status without its timelessly gripping story, which captivated adults as much as kids. The script actually morphed remarkably throughout development, as Woody was originally pitched as the primary antagonist who was downright abusive to his fellow toys. Fortunately, Andy's favorite cowboy was softened up and made much more likable in the final cut. All these years later, it's hard to imagine history having gone any other way. — Adam Ismail

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Monsters, Inc. (2001)

From its cleverly written comedy to its incredible world building, Monsters, Inc. leaves everyone walking away with the full intention of calling their child a "2319." In all seriousness, Monsters, Inc. is an excellent title among Pixar's lineup that's filled with a wonderful cast, including John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Steve Buscemi. The film takes place in a world of monsters where our heroes, Sully and Mike, work as professional "scarers." Scarers go out into the human world and frighten children in order to get energy to power their world. But things go awry when a human, Boo, crosses over. While retaining its gags, the movie slowly develops into a deep story about overcoming fear, prejudice and corruption. — Rami Tabari

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Ratatouille (2007)

A feel-good movie about … rats? I know what you're thinking. But Ratatouille is an impossibly adorable film about a young chef trying to make it in the cutthroat culinary world. That chef is the rat, named Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt), who guides an inexperienced human cook named Linguini by giving him directions from beneath Linguini's chef's hat. The two face threats from an egotistical restaurant critic and an disreputable business owner. Come for the foodie references, which were inspired by real-life top chef Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame, but stay for the heartwarming story about two pals trying to fulfill their dreams and carry on their family legacies. — Caitlin McGarry

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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Wall-E (2008)

Most viewers rave about Wall-E's wordless opening, or how it brilliantly depicts humanity at its laziest. The film's biggest success, however, is how it imbues Wall-E and Eve, the two robots at the center of the film, with a ton of life, even though they cannot talk. And while audiences will want humanity to avoid destruction, there's a good chance you'll care more about these two droids, whose emotions are purer, stronger and more endearing. — Henry T. Casey

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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The Incredibles (2004)

The Incredibles remains the king of Pixar's animated stable for a multitude of reasons. It's a movie that straddles the line between family-friendly adventure and high-stakes, jaw-dropping superhero flick perfectly. It crafts meaningful, memorable character arcs for each and every member of its large cast. It features some of the coolest action in animated movie history. The Incredibles even manages to intelligently subvert and poke fun at the genre to which it owes its existence while still being wholly respectful of it. Its merits are many, its flaws are few and it's easily every bit as incredible as its name wants you to believe. — Robert Carnevale

Credit: Disney/Pixar

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